The Montana Western equestrian team won the Region 3, Zone 8 Western riding title and qualified for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association semi-finals in Syracuse, New York. By Wally Feldt
The University of Montana Western equestrian team captured the Western Region 3, Zone 8 title at the Rocky Mountain College Horse Show in Billings, Mont on Feb. 20 and 21. Montana Western now moves on to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) semi-finals in Syracuse, N.Y. March 27, 2010.
Montana Western riders qualifying for the national semi-finals include Kristin Bredl, Samantha Essig, Kristen Gfroerer, Colleen Meagher, Linda Sieverkropp, Amanda Stephenson and Jenny Winfield.
In addition to the Western regionals, the team competed in three other shows in Billings. Montana Western’s results in all of the shows are as follows:

Saturday morning show

Samantha Essig placed fourth in beginning walk trot, section 1. Colleen Meagher took first in beginning walk trot, section 2. In intermediate II section 1, Sarah Tiffany placed sixth. Kindel McCauley placed sixth in intermediate II section 2.
Tesla McDowell and Brenna Dwyer placed third and fourth, respectively, in novice section 1. In novice section 2, Linda Sieverkropp took third and Fred Deffenbaugh sixth. In advanced, Jenny Winfield took first, Kristin Bredl second and Brenda Cole fifth. Kristen Gfroerer took second in open, Amanda Gelderman placed third and Amanda Stephenson took fourth. Kristin Gfroerer placed third and Amanda Gelderman fourth on open reining.
Montana Western won High Point Team and Kristen Gfroerer was the Reserve High Point Rider.

Saturday afternoon show

Gfroerer took second, Gelderman third and Stephenson fifth in open reining. In open, Gelderman took third, Stephenson placed fifth, and Gfroerer placed sixth. Bredl took second and Cole placed sixth in advanced.
In novice section 2, Deffenbaugh and Sieverkropp placed second and sixth, respectively. In novice section 1, Dwyer placed fourth and McDowell placed fifth. Tiffany took second in intermediate II section 1. Amber Stine took second in intermediate I. In beginning walk trot, Essig took third and Meagher placed fourth.
Montana Western won High Point Team and Gelderman was Reserve High Point Rider.

Sunday morning show

Meagher took first and Essig placed sixth in beginning walk trot. Stein placed second in intermediate I. Tiffany took first in intermediate II section 1. In intermediate II section 2, McCauley placed fourth. Dwyer placed sixth in novice section 1.
In novice section 2, Sieverkropp placed fifth and Deffenbaugh placed sixth. In advanced, Bredl placed sixth. In open, Stephenson took second, Gfroerer placed fourth and Gelderman placed fifth. In open reining, Gfroerer took first, Gelderman second and Stephenson fourth.
Montana Western won High Point Team and Gfroerer was named High Point Rider.

Sunday afternoon show

During Sunday afternoon's Western Regionals competition, Gelderman placed third and Gfroerer took second in open reining,, which qualified them for semi-finals. In open, Gfroerer placed second and qualified for semi-finals.
Winfield took first and Stephenson placed second in advance. In intermediate, Dwyer placed fourth and Deffenbaugh placed sixth. In beginning walk trot, Meagher took first and Stein placed fifth.
The University of Montana Western Equestrian Team’s next show will be in Missoula, Mont. March 6 and 7 for English regionals.